Create a Vintage Linen Colortone Postcard in Photoshop CS4

By · 05/31/2009 · Print This Article Print This Article

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Step Three: Edge Details

There’s still a certain feature lacking: hints of black outline at some of the edges. You can see that effect in this vintage C.T. Art-Colortone postcard:

Ohama Indians, Wichita Mountains (1951 postcard)

Ohama Indians, Wichita Mountains (1951 postcard)


With a couple more tweaks, we can get that effect too.

  1. Merge all the layers to a new layer on top again: select the Threshhold adjustment layer at the top of the stack in the Layers panel, then press Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E (Mac: Shift+Cmd+Opt+E).
  2. Rename the new layer as Edges.
Edges layer

Edges layer

  1. Run the High Pass filter: Filter > Other > High Pass…
  2. Set the Radius to 3 pixels and click OK.
High Pass filter

High Pass filter

  1. Press Ctrl+L (Mac: Cmd+L) to open the Levels adjustment dialog box.
  2. Move the black slider on the left towards the right until it’s at 81 or so.
  3. Move the white slider on the right towards the left until it’s at 102 or so. Click OK.
Levels adjustment

Levels adjustment

  1. Set the blend mode for the Edges layer to Multiply.

Notice below how the giraffe’s legs have some hints of black edge now.

Set the blend mode to Multiply

Set the blend mode to Multiply

 

Step Four: Texture

Time to get that luscious linen texture.

  1. Add a new layer at the top of the stack: Shift+Ctrl+N (Mac: Shift+Cmd+N).
  2. Name the layer Texture and click OK.
  3. Fill the layer with 50% Gray:
    1. Edit > Fill.
    2. From the Use dropdown, select 50% Gray.
    3. Click OK.
Fill with 50% Gray

Fill with 50% Gray

  1. Filter > Texture > Texturizer…
  2. For Texture, select Canvas. Set the Scaling to 150% and the Relief to 8.
  3. Click OK.
Canvas Texture filter

Canvas Texture filter

  1. Set the blend mode for the Texture layer to Overlay. Set its Opacity to 75% to soften the effect.
Overlay blend mode and 75% opacity

Overlay blend mode and 75% opacity

 

We’re done! Here’s a closeup of the final postcard image.

Detail of final postcard image

Detail of final postcard image

 

Pastelize It

If you feel the colors are coming on too strong, do the following:

  1. Click on the Merged layer.
  2. Add a Levels adjustment layer again.
  3. Slide the middle (gamma) slider to the left a bit. I set mine to 1.54
Pastelize It

Pastelize It

 

Finding Linen Postcards in the Wild

If you are interested in real vintage linen postcards, you can usually find them in small baskets of postcards at antique stores. They can also be purchased online.

For a nice coffee table book with these postcards printed in color and categorized by subject matter, check out the book “Linen Postcards” by Mark Werther.

 

 

 

 

If you have any questions or feedback, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

 

Done

 

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Comments

3 Comments

  • By David Bales, 11/27/2010 @ 9:25 am

    Great tutorial. Thanks for putting it together.

  • By Zach Meissner, 05/06/2011 @ 10:45 pm

    Wonderful work! I’m working on some placecards for my wedding to represent the different places my fiance and I have travelled and this is perfect. Thanks!

  • By Amy Ringkamp, 05/24/2011 @ 12:10 pm

    The Texture Filter was grayed out when I went to apply it. It frustrated me for awhile, until I realized I had to change the Image Mode to RGB color.

 

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